The Love for a Nephew
by RavenOfFrost
Summary: When Casper had enough with his uncles, he runs away in search for a new life, but when he runs into a strange band of ghosts, he realizes his mistake and never missed his uncles so much. Until now, but meanwhile, the Ghostly Trio are looking for their nephew and along the way, memories of their past lives arises.
1. Prologue

**No one belongs to me except for the unfamiliar. **

**FINALLY I have a solid plot. All different and third time's the charm. **

* * *

It was the early 1900's in a rural manor called Whipstaff when a young boy at the age eight was playing in the grand entrance hall, laughing happily with his mother, a beautiful young blond woman, sitting close by the fire as the rain was pelting the roof. The father then walked in the living room, returning from his lab, dressed in a high-class suit with dark hair combed back. The young child, who had his mother's blond hair and his father's blue eyes, ran to his father with joy and hugged him tightly. Even though, his father was only his in lab, it felt like he was gone far away to his young son.

The boy never forgot his father or mother and at times, he missed them more than ever.

The grand manor was now eerie and dark that was now about a hundred-years-old. It had some rotting wood and creaky stairs. In the inside was still grand with large rooms and old furniture still laying around with cobwebs spreading in the corners. It looked to be an abandoned manor, but instead this child still called it home, however, it was never the same.

"Hey, lightbulb!" A voice called from the downstairs. "We're goin'! Take care of the place, will ya? And don't break anything!"

Casper, a twelve-year-old ghost, just stayed hidden behind the corner of the wall, waiting for his three uncles to leave

The tall ghost, Stretch, and the leader of the trio, stated as he began to float to the door, waving his hand. "I'll never understand kids," he muttered to his two brothers.

"You're tellin' me," the fat one, Fatso, responded.

"I never wanted kids," the shorter one, Stinkie, muttered, following his brothers, "and now I'm stuck with one."

"We all are!" Stretch retorted.

Then they went through the door and disappeared.

If Casper had a beating heart, it would break at those words hurt. He's been stuck with his three uncles for about a hundred years and they never changed. Heck, he didn't really know if they even cared about him by the way they would make fun of him and make him do all he work. Well, this time, his mind was made up.

He was going to walk out of this house and never come back. What was the point in staying here and being a burden for the rest of the afterlife? He narrowed his blue eyes with determination. There was no backing out of this. He flew to the doors, poked his head out to make the coast was clear, headed for the front gates, then on his own path to town. He wasn't going to come back. He was a smart kid. He could manage on his own. Well, if he made a friend that would be nice.


	2. Chapter 1

Casper was gone for about four hours as he just wondered away from the manor. Getting farther and farther away from what he called "home". He didn't even know where to go, then he began to have second thoughts. Would his uncles even be worried about him? No. Of course not. They didn't care, did they? Well, if you call that caring, then what was coldness? No. They didn't care. The child ghost heavily sighed as he continued his way. Maybe he would return. Maybe. Depends how things go in his new afterlife.

The full moon was high in the dark sky with light-grey clouds drifting in front of it as he made his way to town, considering there was no where else for him to go. The streets never seemed so lonely and the world never seemed so silent before as the young ghost just floated through, avoiding people, not wanting to scare them. He saw people smiling and laughing as they walked with their friends or dates.

They seemed so happy.

The ghost couldn't help wonder what his life would've been like if he lived. Would he be like his father or just like any other human? Would his parents be proud of him or not? Casper just hugged himself as he kept his blue eyes locked ahead of him. He was going to make his own afterlife. No matter what people said. He then came to a gloomy street with an old, abandoned theatre. He wanted to get out of the streets, but didn't want to stop until dawn came, so he carried on his way.

Until a smooth voice asked, "What are you doing here, kid?"

Casper turned around to a tall and thin, shadowy figure with strange white eyes. Never before has he seen a ghost like this one before. "Just passing through," he answered, trying to hide his fear.

"What's you're name?" The shadowy figure asked as he slowly approached the little ghost.

Casper stood his ground. "Casper," he answered strongly.

"Where you from, kid?"

_Man, does this guy ask a lot of questions, _he thought to himself. "I don't remember," he lied, thinking his answer through. There was no way he was going to tell this stranger the truth.

"A newbie?"

Casper just stayed silent at question.

The figure chuckled and looked at him with his white eyes. "The name's Hyde. I've got friends who stay at the theatre. If you want, you can come with me. It's better than the streets with these mortals walking about."

The child chuckled nervously as he tried get away from him. "No, thanks. I can't manage."

Hyde chuckled as he turned and began to walk away. "Kid, you're a real idiot then if you're just going to stay out here, but suit yourself." Then he walked away.

For some reason, he didn't like the way he said that. "Wait!" Casper cried, making the leader stop. "I'll come."

He chuckled. "Then catch up, kid." He continued to walk.

Casper hoped that this was a good idea, but he had no where else to go. Besides, he was only going to stay temporarily.

* * *

It was thee in the morning when the trio came home laughing, talking about the scares they had caused. Then Stretch slowly began to quite down as they entered the manor. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, silencing his brothers. "Something's off." His violet eyes narrowed. "Caspter?" He hollered out.

No response.

"Casper!" He yelled louder.

Silence.

Stretch heavily sighed with annoyance. "I'll check his room." He floated up the stairs, to his nephew's room at the end of the hall. When he opened the door, he gasped in horror and fear. He flew down the hall and looked down the stairs at his two brothers with wide eyes. "Casper's gone."

The two traded looks.

Stinkie then looked up at his older brother. "Come again?"

"Casper is missing!" He shouted with annoyance.

As if it was a command, the two then dashed in opposite directions.

"I'll search the upstairs!" Stretch shouted as he hurried off to every nook and and cranny in the upstairs floor, calling for his nephew as he could distantly hear the other doing the same. No matter what door he opened, there was no Casper. He even went to the tower of the manor and sure enough there was no Casper. He tried no to panic as he was thinking about every single room in the top floor, then he bolted to the manor's tower and checked outside, hoping to find his nephew. "No," he whispered as he came to a dead end. He then hurried back down and searched all of upstairs for over thirty minutes. "Damn it, Casper," he growled as he went back to this child's room. "Where the hell are you?"

Not giving up, he went downstairs, hoping that the others would've found him. When they met up in the entrance hall of the house, they all had panic and worry on their faces.

"I checked the lab," Stinkie stated with wide, panic-filled eyes. "He wasn't there."

"We both checked around the house and downstairs," Fatso added, trying to stay calm.

"Okay," Stretch said, trying to keep his mind straight. "The kid wouldn't just ditch without telling us. It's not his style."

"What if he did?" Stinkie asked sorrowfully.

The two looked at him with worry.

The leader of the trio shook his head, getting annoyed and frustrated. "Then we need to find that kid before we lose 'im! Why did he even leave in the first place?"

"What if he's coming back?" Fatso asked.

"Okay," Stretch said, trying to stay calm as hard as he could. "We'll wait for about ten minutes. If that doesn't work, we're lookin' for him."

"Right," they both stated simultaneously.

Then the three of them just stood there, worried and panicking in their own minds.

Casper had to come back, right?

Of course he had to. He had no where else to go.

Stretch couldn't take it anymore and threw his hands in the air. "Screw it! We're lookin' for him!"

Then the three of them bolted out the door.

* * *

It was three in the morning as Casper was in the abandoned theatre and had to admit, he was feeling pretty happy. There were five other shadowy figures who turned out to be pretty friendly and would talk to him like one of their own. The leader, Hyde of course, would have Casper's back if anything went wrong. The two of them were sitting on the top balcony, looking down at the rest of the Shadow People down below. "I know," Hyde began in his smooth voice, "that you are hiding something from me, Casper, and whatever it is, you can tell me. I know that you've been a ghost much longer."

Casper didn't look at him. He didn't really want to tell him anything.

Hyde gave short chuckle. "Fine. Let me guess: You're alone and you're used to being alone, but you hate it. Right?"

Casper looked at him, taken aback at his words. "How did you-"

The leader chuckled. "I know things."

The young ghost slowly looked in front of him. "I ran away from my three uncles," he admitted softly. "They never cared about me. Even when we were all alive, they didn't really care." He barely remembered how when he was alive and his uncles would come over, they hardly ever paid attention to him. "So I left. I highly doubt that they even care that I'm gone," he muttered.

The shadow laughed. "You've got guts, kid!"

The young ghost looked at him with large eyes in wonder.

Hyde grinned down at him with sharp teeth. "Casper, you're going to be just fine with us. Just listen and keep her sense up and stick to the shadows, then you'll be just fine."

Casper didn't know what to say, so he turned back to the stage, lost in his own mind. He was wondering what Hyde meant by that, but right now, he couldn't even help wonder what his uncles were doing. Getting tired, Casper curled up in his seat and closed his eyes, just wanting sleep to consume him as he heard Hyde get up and drift away.


	3. Chapter 2

A day had past since Casper had disappeared and the Ghostly Trio just kept looking for him everywhere, but there was no sign of him. They knew that he would not go to town because the little ghost hated scaring people, so there was no reason to check there. After a day calling out for their nephew and looking all over the area, they came to a stop in a wooded area.

"He's gone," Stinkie muttered sadly as the sun was beginning to set.

"We've been at this for a day," Fatso stated. "He might even be back at the manor by now."

"No one is goin' back anywhere," Stretch ordered as he turned to his brothers with narrowed eyes in determination. "He's our nephew and if Jacob was here, he would beat us senseless that we lost his only kid!"

"But he ran away," Stinkie stated, looking at him with wonder.

Stretch crossed his arms and looked away with annoyance. "And he deserves to be stuck out there."

"Too bad we're his uncles," the large ghost grumbled.

"Ya can say that again," the leader of the trio muttered with agreement. He then looked down at the ground, thinking where the kid could be. Then an idea popped into his head and looked up at the other two. "I think I know someone who can help us."

"Who?" They asked simultaneously.

"Follow me." He then flew into the air to get a better view of their location with the other two behind him. When he found the spot where they needed to go, he hurried in the direction. He only hoped that she hadn't crossed over yet as well as finding her at her usual place and time. The last time he saw her was around sixty or so years ago. This certainly was a chance to take, but they had to find their nephew. When the sun was setting, they arrived at the old and abandoned graveyard at the right time. Stretch quickly skimmed each headstone, looking for her name as he heard his two younger brothers chuckle as they caught on who he was looking for. The leader rolled his eyes. This was strictly for business, not for a date. Then he finally found the headstone that read:

Devon Reed Dec 21, 1895- July 7, 1929

"Found it!" He shouted to his brothers.

"Watch," Stinkie chuckled as they made their way to him, "right when he sees that dame, he'll go all googley-eyed."

Fatso laughed. "And then when she sees him, it'll be like love that never died," he said dramatically. "Oh, Jackie," he said in a high-pitched voice to sound like a woman. "I've missed you for all enternity. Kiss me, my love!" He then dramatically began to make kissing sounds.

The two of them busted laughing.

Right when Stretch was about to scold his idiot brothers, the graveyard began to get dark by the disappearing sun and a ghostly figure rose from her grave in tired manner. He looked at the familiar ghost, who had a beautiful face of a young woman, with uncertainty as she blinked her green eyes drowsily.

The two brothers waited eagerly to see what would happen as they tried not to laugh.

Then the woman's eyes narrowed at the ghost floating before her, and slapped him across the face. "How dare you show your face here again!" She shouted with anger.

The brothers ooed at that slap.

"I didn't mean to-" Stretch tried.

"Oh, really," the ghost woman crossed her arms. She then looked at the two ghosts behind him with a kind smile. "Hello, Greg, Sam."

"Hi, Devon," they said in unison with a smile.

Stretch narrowed his eyes and sighed in annoyance, then lightly shook his head. "Look we need your-"

"Jack," she hissed with annoyance as she began to glide past him. "I've got work to do and people to meet. I'll see you-"

"It's Casper," he broke in, making her stop in her tracks. She always had a soft spot for kids. Especially Casper when she met him when he was eight or something. "He's missing." He turned to face her as she looked at the trio with confused eyes, then at him with worry.

"What do you mean 'missing'?" Devon asked in a low tone.

Stretch waved his hands, not wanting to go into detail about the kid running away. Hell, they didn't even know why he ran. "He's gone," he answered simply. "And we can't find him." He looked her in the eyes. "You always had contacts and I'm sure ya still do."

"We don't know where else to look," Stinkie stated with worry in his eyes.

The trio looked away with heartache and worry. They never knew why Casper left and right now, they are having doubts that they'll ever find him. Half of Stretch wanted to give up and wait till the brat comes back, but the other half was worried that the pipsqueak wouldn't come back and he just wanted to have his nephew back. They all did.

"Fine," she sighed, making them look at her. "I'll help you, _but_," she started as she looked at Stretch dead in the eye. "I'm only doing this for Casper. Now, follow me, but you better listen to me. _Jack_." She said his name like was a horrible taste in her mouth with narrowed eyes at him as a warning.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving her off. "I'll listen to ya."

The woman ghost began to float away with Stretch just dully following as his brothers drifted by, snickering like little kids. He narrowed his violet eyes, trying not to strangle them.

* * *

A day had past since Casper joined Hyde and his gang and everything was going just fine, until Hyde began to act differently. He was getting snappier and angrier and then Casper heard rumors amongst the Shadow People that the leader was planning something that had to do with the kid. When he would walk by a follower, they would just snicker and look at him like they knew something. When Casper got the nerves to ask Hyde what was going on, the leader grinned at him.

"Kid," he said in his smooth voice as they were sitting on the balcony in the theatre. "We're not the good guys. We are spirits who cause havoc, darkness, and fear. And you?" He chuckled darkly. "You are one of the nicest kids I've met." His grin disappeared and his eyes narrowed with coldness. "And I hate nice. In order to stay with us, you're going to have to prove yourself."

"What do you mean?" The young ghost asked, not wanting to show any fear.

"I mean, you're going have to be, well, villainous in a way."

Casper slowly began to back away. "I think I should get going..."

Hyde then sneered twistingly. "You're going no where, kid." He then looked at him with humor. "Let me ask you this: Has your uncles told you about black magic or anything?"

"Yes," he slowly answered, afraid of where this is going.

He then grinned. "Welcome to Hell, kid."

Casper gasped in horror, then bolted to get out of here, but the five Shadow People appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path.

For the first time in a long time, Casper felt real fear.


	4. Chapter 3

Casper was being held by two Shadow People as he watched Hyde summon a black energy in his hands, who nodded at the two beings. Before the little ghost could do anything, he was tossed aside like a rag doll and the energy was thrown towards him. He covered his head, preparing for the impact, but when nothing happened, he slowly raised his bald head and found himself trapped in a dome of dark energy.

"Why are you doing this?" Casper shouted with anger as he stayed away from the energy, afraid to touch it.

Hyde looked at him with cold, white eyes. "Mortals were always foolish beings and we'll take them out." His eyes turned soulless. "Starting with you, little ghost. The one who has no friends and whose uncles don't even give a damn about. No wonder they hated a weakling like you." He then chuckled smugly. "A ghost who hates scaring humans."

Casper didn't turn away, not wanting to show fear, but couldn't help wonder: Were his uncles even looking for him? After a day? Or were they not even worried about him?

Hyde began to walk away.

"What are we going to do with him?" A shadow asked in a scratchy voice.

The leader gave a short chuckle as he face the prisoner. "Leave him till his spirit breaks. Then we'll work." He then walked away, followed by the others.

When they left, Casper just slinked to the floor, thinking about everything that has happened. He shouldn't have left. He should've stayed in the manor. This uncles were so kind compared to this. Now, all he had to do was wait and fight back if he had to. He may be a child, but he was still a ghost, but even a ghost couldn't break out of a cell of dark energy. He even remembered his uncles warning him from years ago about evil sprits and whatnot.

What happened?

He ran into evil spirits.

The young ghost just sat on the floor, with images and scenes replaying in his head. "What did I get myself into?" He muttered to himself.

* * *

Stretch and Devon hardly spoke to each other on the way to wherever it was they were going to as they were going over rooftops. He tried to talk to her, but didn't know what to say. He didn't even remember their last conversation and clearly, she was still pissed from what happened with they had breath in their lungs. When he glanced at her, she would just keep her green eyes locked ahead of her. He growled lowly in annoyance.

"I see that she still is upset from the past life," Stinkie whispered to him on his left.

"Really?" He asked with a smile as he looked at his younger brother. "I didn't notice." He rolled his eyes as he looked away. What a genus.

"You really screwed up with her," Fatso then appeared on his right. "I mean she was a real looker when she was alive," he chuckled amusingly.

Stretch glared at the large ghost. "She was my gal, not yours."

"She was crazy about you," Stinkie reminded him.

"Point?" He asked dryly as he looked ahead of himself, wanting to ignore them.

"She loved you," Fatso added.

"That's nice," Stretch stated flatly, mentally wishing that these two morons would shut up.

"I bet she was upset when you died," Stinkie told him.

"Ha!" A sudden laugh came from Devon, who was still taking the lead. "He's just lucky that the crash finished him, otherwise he'd had a bullet through his head."

How could she even say that? Stretch snarled at her, wanting to off at her.

"Oh, no," Fatso said flatly, drifting back beside Stinkie. "Here he goes."

"Should we hold him back?" Stinkie asked, looking up at his older brother.

The large ghost chuckled with amusement. "Let 'im go. She'll slap him again."

The two started to snicker at the memory of their older brother getting slapped dead in the face.

Stretch didn't pay attention to his two imbecile brothers as he stormed up to Devon's side and burned daggers into her with his eyes. "You and I both know that ya didn't have the guts to kill me," he challenged.

The female ghost smiled as she didn't look at him. "It was real tempting." She then shrug. "Oh, well. The car killed you and saved me some time, but too bad your brothers got stuck with you." She then looked at him. "You were the ass out of the three."

"You dated me!" He cried. she certainly had the nerve. She could've turned him down when he asked her out and could've broken up with him whenever she wanted!

Devon stopped in her tracks, making them all stop, and looked at him with heartfelt eyes. "Dated?" She questioned softly, looking him dead in the eyes. "_Dated_? Jack, I _loved_ you. I loved you with all my heart and you knew that. You knew that I cared so much about you and what did you do? _What did you do_?"

"Cheated on you," Fatso answered.

Stretch rolled his head over to his brother and looked at him, not amused at his comment.

The two ghosts just shrugged, knowing that it was true.

"At least _someone_ knows," she replied sharply, still looking at her ex.

He took a deep breath, then looked back at her. "Devon, I-"

She shook her head with a small smirk. "No, Jack. You lived like you were about to 's what I liked about you. You were wild and out there and funny." A sad smile formed. "You were such a great guy to be with. Then I found out that you were a womanizer and when I found out that you slept with another girl," the smile disappeared, "it broke my heart. You were my first real love, Jack, and you broke my heart."

If he still had a beating heart, he didn't even know what it would be feeling right now. That was the way he was when he was alive like she said, but he remembered Jacob telling him that he had to relax, otherwise, he was going to regret something. Stretch didn't know if he regretted what he did, or not, but one thing was for certain, he did regret drinking that night. His three brothers forgave him for it, though. He slowly looked away, then back to her, and asked quietly, "What did you do when you heard about the crash?"

Devon looked at him with eyes that were hard to read. "I hoped that you found peace after your crazy life and that you and your brothers didn't suffer."

He turned his head away, trying not to remember that night. He knew that Fatso didn't and Stinkie didn't, well, not for long. Stretch then shook his head, pushing the memory out and looked at her with numbness. "We have to find Casper," he stated, wanting to change the subject.

"We're not far. Only a couple more blocks," Devon replied, then took the lead once more.

Sensing their brother's guilty energy, the two of them wrapped an arms around his shoulder with smiles and up-beat spirits, trying to shake him out of it and of course it did the trick as his usual scheming smile returned, remembering that his brothers were still at his side.


	5. Chapter 4

Casper was just sitting in the dome of dark energy. He didn't want to touch it or get near it, afraid that something would happen. He remembered his uncles telling him to stay away from this evil stuff. What was Hyde even planning on doing? Was there even a way to stop him or was the ghost going to be forced to watch all Hell break lose while he was able to do nothing, but watch. As time past, he just kept missing his uncles. It was probably a little after sunset on day one of missing and he didn't even know if they started looking for him yet. Either way, he needed to get out of here and somehow stop Hyde.

That was impossible.

When a dark figure of a Shadow Person waked by, Casper just ignored him as he tried to think of any plan. He tried to think of idea that would be of use in somehow, but he knew for certain, he did not have his father's ingenious way of thinking.

"Ghosty," a scratchy voice stated, getting the kid's attention. "The boss wanted to give you a choice: Since you're young and everything, he wanted to know if you are willing to join us or basically stay here until the boss thinks of something useful for you."

Casper thought about it.

This may be the plan that he wanted.

He looked at him as if surrendering. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll join you."

"No tricks. If you run, you'll wish that you never died," he snarled.

Casper knew that there was no hope in running. Only if he got the chance. He'll need a plan for that. He shook his head lifelessly. "I won't run. You win."

"Hyde!" The shadowy figure called.

A black mass drifted in and formed to Hyde, who had a approving smile on his dark face. "I heard." He did motions with his hands and the dome vanished like shadows itself. "Listen, ghost. You work for me now, got it?"

Casper nodded. _Only in your dreams, _he thought.

"First thing: How do you feel about revenge?"

That stumped him.

"Revenge?" He asked, looking at the leader with confusion and wonder.

"Yes!" He shouted, getting angrier. "I want to see what you are capable of doing."

If he was alive, those words would make his blood run cold.

"What do you mean?" He asked, half regretting his question.

"You hate your uncles, right?" He snarled, getting frustrated.

Casper looked at the floor. "Well, I don't _hate _them..." He never hated his uncles, but he disliked them in a way. He wished they were kinder to him, but they were still family and they did protect him... Sometimes. Most of the time they would just mock him and just treat him like dirt, but they were family.

"Now, it's your chance to get revenge."

The little ghost slowly raised his head, looking up at the shadow, trying to hide his worry and fear.

"If you bring them here, I'll take care of them and if not, then I have no further use for you."

Casper closed his eyes and looked away at those words.

There was no way he could do that. Not at all. They were his uncles, his family! He slowly looked back at him. "What would you do with them?" He meekly asked with wide, blue eyes.

"Show you the true power that a spirit can possess and you can have the same."

Casper didn't want to know what would happen to him if he refused. Also, he could just go to a random place and pretend they weren't there. There was no way he was going to put his uncles in danger. Not on his watch. He then took a deep breath. "Fine," he sighed, hanging his head low. "I'll do it."

Hyde chuckled. "Good." He then turned to a shadow figure and gave a gesture with his head. "You go with him and if he tries anything, you know what to do."

The ghost's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

He had to think and fast. One thing was for sure, he could flee to home and get his uncles to help him, but right now, he just wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

* * *

Casper led the dark spirit out of town, up in the sky, and away from the manor, trying to look for a place that looked to be abandoned. When the eerie manor on the coast was in view, he turned his head away, and avoided his home, hoping that his uncles were out. Knowing them, they would be gone at this time of night as the sun was beginning to set.

"I heard that Whipstaff is haunted," the shadow spirit muttered, making Casper become nervous.

"That's what I heard to," he forced himself to reply. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"I wonder what wealthy family owned it."

_A chaotic and crazy one. _He gave him an uneasy smirk. "A lucky one."

The spirit nodded his head, accepting it as an answer.

Casper menatly sighed in relief as he carried on leading them away from Whipstaff and eventually found an rural, abandoned farmhouse in a field. "I don't know if they're home. They are usually out at this time of night," he told him as they slowly got close to the land. It was truth, too.

"Just try," the spirit ordered.

The small ghost took a deep breath, and entered the unfamiliar home. If he had a heart, it would be slamming against his chest in nervousness and worry. Home was so close, yet so far and he never missed it so much.


	6. Chapter 5

The place where they were going to was actually the local bar that was thriving with people and music. It wasn't the first time that the trio has been to the bar, but they usual go when it wasn't busy. The four ghosts stopped on the roof of the building beside the bar, looking down at it as if they were waiting for something to happen. Stretch looked at Devon with curiosity as she was looking down at the bar with wondrous eyes. "What are we waitin' for?"

"There's someone I know who practically knows every ghost in the area," she answered, not looking at him. "Including you three."

Stretch grinned at his brothers with pride at those words. "Ya hear that, boys? I knew we were gettin' our name out there!"

"Yeah. Nothin' like the Ghostly Trio," Fatso announced with a proud smile.

"Three of a kind!" Stickie added excitedly.

Stretch got between them and wrapped his arms around their necks with a sly smile. "How 'bout we call this for a celebration?"

"Hell yeah!" They cried in unison with excitement.

"Guys!" Devon called, getting their attention. She just looked at them like they were idiots.

Stretch released his brothers and slightly turned his head over his shoulder as he began to approach the woman with his spirits dampaned. "Later."

The two ghosts' shoulders sagged and hung their heads in disappointment.

Devon looked back at the bar. "Follow me." She then took off and the Ghostly Trio tailed her as she entered the back door and quickly shot up to the filthy attic and abruptly stopped, making the three smack into each other's backs.

Stinkie was about to swat at Fatso as Fatso was ready to challenge him, but Stretch gestured to them to knock it off and they did what they were told.

"Bennet?" Devon called in a hushed voice to the attic. "You here?"

A chuckle of amusement sounded in the far corner. "I'm always here, doll."

Stretch turned at the woman with confusion, wondering who the heck this guy was and why he called her 'doll', but she ignored him.

"I need help to look for someone," she said as she neared the ghost, who was sitting in a chair, kicking back, not looking at them. "A ghost boy named Casper. Heard of him?"

"Nope," Bennet answered in a smooth voice in uncaring way.

"He's our nephew," Fatso stated. "And he disappeared."

"More like ran away," Stinkie muttered.

Devon looked at them all, taken aback by the confession, then glared at Stretch as if it was his fault and he glared at Stinkie for opening his mouth, who just looked away from his brother's gaze. The woman ghost shook her head and turned back to Bennet. "Please. They need your help. He's been missing for a day and a night now."

The strange ghost then raised his thin head and looked at the four of them with sly brown eyes. "Actually, I heard there was word out that a ghost kid was spotted awhile ago," he said in his smooth voice. "But he got wrapped up with Shadow People."

"Evil spirits," Stinkie whispered.

Stretch shook his head doubtfully, stepping forward. "No. That's not Casper. He wouldn't be-"

"They are held up at the old theatre," the ghost broke in, looking at him with dark eyes. "Small kid, bald head, blue eyes."

"That's him!" The trio cried in horror.

"Now he's messing 'round with evil spirits!" Fatso sobbed.

"We taught 'im better than that!" Stinkie cried out.

"When I see him," Fatso began with anger, "I'll turn him into a soccer ball and-"

"If he hasn't became one of them!" The second brother shouted at him with fear.

"Short Sheet," Stretch whispered under his breath as worry entered his being. Casper, their only nephew and the one that they tried to protect over the years, was now tangled with Shadow People. How did that happen? He was not that kid of kid!

"He's doomed!" Fatso howled.

"We've wasted this time lookin' for nothin'," Stinkie sobbed, then he bowed his head. "A moment of silence for our dear ne-"

Stretch turned at the two of them with anger. "He's _not _gone!" He shouted at them, causing them to look at him with stunned, wide eyes. "We've still got a chance to save the lil' glowworm." He then added quietly as he began to relax in realization, "I hope." He turned to Devon. "Thanks, Dev. For everything. We'll take care of this."

The woman looked at him with disbelief. "Jack. I told you I was going to help you find Casper and I tend to do so." Before he could say anything, she turned to the ghost in the corner. "Thanks, Bennet."

"No problem, doll," the strange ghost replied with a sly smirk in his smooth voice.

Then she disappeared through the wall and outside.

Without saying anything to Bennet, the three of them floated out the bar and met Devon on the roof. Stretch still didn't know how she knew Bennet because out of all the time the Ghostly Trio went there, they never even knew of him, but that was not the problem. The problem was that Casper was with Shadow People, evil spirits, and now Devon was willing to come with the trio. "Devon," Stretch said sternly, looking her in the eye. "You've done enough. You owe us nothin'. You owe _me_ nothin'. I owe you. God, do I owe you," he chuckled shortly. After what happened in their pasts lives, he knew that he did.

The woman gently smiled at him with a familiar look that she used to give him. "You dragged me into this," she said in a tone that made him nervous, "and you know that I care about Casper." Anger then grew on her face as she began to jam a finger into his chest. "And you _always _managed to get me dragged into problems and needed _my _help, you lowlife."

"Ouch," Stinkie hissed.

"Damn right you owe me," the ghost woman growled. "My God!" She then threw her arms in the air and turned her back to him. "After _how many years_ was the last time I saw you and _you_ _still_ manage to barge into my afterlife! I thought I was done with you, you miserable worm!"

"Yikes," Fasto flinched.

None of them liked getting dished by women.

"So yes!" She cried, turning back to the leader. "You owe me and I'm coming with you and don't think I'm going to save your miserable hide of energy if anything happens! And why didn't you take better care of Casper?" She thumped her head with her palm. "Oh, right. I forgot who I'm dealing with." She then stormed away in the direction of the theatre.

Stretch watched her go, unamused by her. "She was never pretty when she was angry," he told his brothers.

"At least she didn't slap ya," Stinkie commented as they slowly began to follow.


	7. Chapter 6

They returned to the theatre about an hour or so later at one in the morning, Casper managed to convince the shadow spirit that a little farmhouse was his home and that his uncles were not there, telling him that they come and go as they please. It was true, but they never went out during the day. He hoped that Hyde was not going to make him go back there to wait or something, but when the dark spirit told his leader what happened, Hyde immediately turned to the little ghost with soulless white eyes.

"I should've known better than to trust you, you little brat!" He then backhanded Casper, sending him flying by the force.

Casper quickly shook his and stood up straight, facing him with bravery. "I'm never going to betray my uncles. I'm never going to let you destroy them!" He shouted as anger began to build up inside.

"You think they gave a damn about you?" He questioned, looking that ghost with humorous eyes. "They never gave a damn about you! I gave you an offer in which you can have your revenge. Where they would be at your mercy instead. But no, you're too _nice_ for that!" He spat the word 'nice' out like it has an awful taste in his mouth. "You could've had power!"

"Then I'm not the one you were looking for, Hyde," he told him in emotionlessly. "Now let me go." He hardly challenged anyone, but this one, he had no choice, but to.

Hyde began to chuckle. "You're going to return to home? Just like that? Really? And do you really think that I'd let you walk out so easily?"

Casper began to rub the back of his neck as he looked away. "Well, I was hoping that-"

"You pathetic fool. I can understand why your uncles hated you."

The little ghost winced at those words.

"Instead, you'll be destroyed, then the rest of this miserable town."

The ghost looked at him with large, fearful eyes as he began to sway his arms, summoning a strange darkness around him.

Casper was paralyzed with fear as he watched a black flame-like shadows start to form on the stage, then he heard faint maniacal laughter as a strong wind began to kick up inside the theatre. Thinking it was Hyde's doing, he turned his head away, but he quickly recognized that laughter as it got louder and clearer through the wind. He raised his head with large hopeful eyes as a large, blue tornado formed, picking up a couple of Shadow People with, and flinging them across the grand room. The tornado began to settle down and disappear which turned out to be the Ghostly Trio, who had devious grins on their faces.

"Any other takers?" Stretch questioned.

Before Casper was about to open his mouth, Hyde deeply growled, then pointed at the trio. "Destroy them!"

Three of the remaining Shadow People hissed and then bounded towards the trio.

Just at the slightest of time, the trio dashed in different directions, having one of each dark spirit following.

Casper just stood there and watching, hoping that nothing bad would happen, until a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled his through the stage to the underneath floor. He was about to fight back, until the the person grabbed his shoulders, making him look at a ghost woman.

"I came to get you out of here while they distracted them," she told him with kind green eyes.

The child looked at her with wonder. He never seen her before. "Who are you?"

She chuckled. "A friend of your uncles. Now let's go." She grabbed his wrist as she was heading to the nearest wall out of the building.

"But what about-"

The woman looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk. "They'll be fine. Trust me. "

* * *

After taking care of the three Shadow People by confusing them, making them run into each other, and disappear outside of the theatre walls, the trio gave each other victory high-fives as if players of a sports game and proud smiles.

Stretch looked over at the stage and noticed that Casper was gone, gently taping his brothers with the back of his hand in seriousness. "Hey, Dev's got the kid, now let's beat it." He was about to float away.

"Wait," Stinkie said quietly, getting the eldest's attention. "Where's the big boss?"

Before any of them could open their mouths, a white blur was thrown at them and flew through the chairs. The trio quickly went to Casper's side, who placed a hand on his head in a dazed manner, then looked up at them with wide eyes. "He's got her."

Stretch's lip slowly curled as his eyes began to burn as he slowly raised his narrow head to the direction of the stage.

"Stretch," Casper began in a scared and nervous voice. "I'm sorry."

"We'll discuss that later," he replied, not looking at his nephew. "Fatso. Take the lil' glowworm outta here. Stinkie, you're comin' with me. We're gonna get Dev-"

Then a ghost shot out of the floor of the stage.

"Hey, look," Fatso announced with a smile. "Devon."

She noticed them, then bolted to them at full speed.

The dark spirit then burst out of the stage floor like a demon from Hell.

"With the shadow guy," Stinkie added with an oblivious smile.

"In coming!" The large ghost yelled with wide eyes.

"Fatso!" Stretch cried, getting ready for action. "Get Casper outta here! Now!"

Fatso grabbed his nephew's hand and made a quick beeline for the ceiling.

When Devon got closer to the duo, she had wide, terror-filled eyes and made a beeline to Stretch, who grabbed her by the arms and looked her dead in the eye. "Go on the roof and meet Fatso and get him down here. Pronto. Casper's with him."

The woman quickly nodded, just before she was about to leave, she gave them both quick hugs, then backed off with a small smirk. "That's just in case you two become Shadow People or something." Then she was off.

Stretch took a deep breath, lightly shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the leader who was looking very pissed. Last time, he thought Devon hated him. Woman, again, he'll never understand.

A stupid grin grew on Stinkie's face. "If you don't want her, I could take her."

"Shaddap!" Stretch hissed. His younger brother could be such a lamebrain when it came to women at times and now was not the time. They had a spirit to take down.

* * *

As Fatso was in the middle of his lecture about running away to Casper, the woman ghost appeared and told that older ghost that his brother's needed him, sending him back down. She took the child's hand and led him across the street on a roof, waiting patiently to see what the outcome was going to be as she explained that her was Devon and a good friend of the crazy ghosts. After the they silent, the little ghost began to feel bad. They actually came to find him and he didn't even think they would. "I didn't know they would look for me," he said quietly, half to himself.

"They they care about you, Casper," Devon said gently without looking at him as he listened . She then smirked. "I know that those guys aren't the most caring and protective, but they have their moments."

He looked at her with wonder. "How do you know them?"

She shrugged. "I dated Stretch in the past life." She then gave a short chuckle of amusement as she looked at the brightening sky. "Dawn already."

* * *

The trio were running out of ideas as they were nearly out of energy facing this dark spirit. If they kept this up, they would be double dead. Stretch knew that they had to get out of here. The three of them dashed for the ceiling, trying to get out and away from here, but the ceiling burst into black flames, blocking their path. They were about to head for a wall, but the theatre was quickly being engulfed by the darkness.

"We can't get out of here," Fatso said quietly.

"Can I say: 'It was a pleasure working with you guys'?" Stinkie uneasily asked.

"We're not dead yet," Stretch pointed out with his eyes scanning for a way out as his mind was racing for a plan.

"No," a low, hissy voice said, making them freeze at the sound. "You're existence will just cease!"

Stretch slowly turned around to face the dark spirit with blazing white eyes. He then gave a small, nervous smile. "As fun as that sounds, me and my pals here are gonna just go." He was about to hurry out and whispered to them, "Let's go, boys."

The two were about to follow, but the spirit appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

Stretch began to think.

They practically risked their lives to save Casper, who ran away, now they were going to end up dying twice. This did not make sense to him and he that he and his brothers were not willing to lay down and die right now. He still had words to say to the bulbhead and there was no way that they were going to end up dying for the kid. There was no way that was how the Ghostly Trio was going to end!

The leader thought fast and turned to his brothers. "Break!"

They all dashed in different directions, confusing the spirit in which one to go after.

As Stinkie flew down the outer halls of the theatre, he spotted a spot of wall that had yet to be taken over. "Hey, fellas!" He shouted with a smile. "I found a way out!"

Fatso flew by, going the opposite direction, shouting something that wasn't clear.

"What?" He hollered at his fleeing brother.

Then the evil spirit appeared in front of him.

Stinkie nervously smiled with a small wave, then dashed for the exit that was now getting smaller with the spirit right on his tail. The exit never seemed so far away before as it kept shrinking as he heard the growls of the spirit right behind him. If he survived this, he was going murder that bulbhead. Then he blast right through the wall out on the the other side in the town, he was chuckling to himself, thinking that he was safe, but the spirit burst right through. The ghost's eyes grew wide in horror, but then noticed that spirit was shrieking in pain as the light of dawn was causing him to steam, then eventually vanished like a shadow itself.


	8. Chapter 7

Both Casper and Devon noticed Hyde get destroyed by the light of day, and the two of them rushed to Stinkie, who was wide-eyed with fear and puzzlement. "Stinkie!" Devon cried as they neared, getting his attention.

When he saw the two ghosts, he smirked with relief. "So ya two are alright."

"Where are the others?" Devon asked.

Stinkie's smirk disappeared. "Ya mean… They haven't come out yet?"

Casper frowned at those words. Did he just send two of his uncles to their demise? He didn't know what to say to his uncle if he should say anything at all. He just avoided his uncle's gaze, not know where to look as Stinkie just glared at him with anger and disappointment.

"Man, oh man!" A familiar voice called. "I thought that was the end of it."

"I think I lost some weight after that run," another voice complained.

They all looked up at the top of the old playhouse to find the two ghosts as found the Devon smiled in relief as she called, "Stretch! Fatso!"

The two ghosts looked down, then hurried down to meet them and the trio reunited with smiles. Stretch threw a proud arm around his younger brother's neck with a grin. "I don't know ya managed to it, but ya actually stopped 'im."

"Yeah," Fatso cried with worry. "I thought I was goin' to die!"

The three brothers laughed at that ironic comment.

Stretch then glared at Casper with burning anger, releasing his brother. "And _you_! What the hell did ya think ya were doin'?" He towered over him.

Casper hung his head in shame. He didn't know what to say, so he just kept silent.

"We were worried sick 'bout ya and then we find that ya were plain' around the evil spirits! We thought we were gonna lose ya!"

The child then looked up at his uncle with calm confusion. "You did?" He asked in quiet voice, half afraid to speak.

Stretch took a deep breath as he pitched the bridge of his large nose and closed his eyes tightly, then looked down at his nephew. "What the hell do ya think we came here and risked our hides for? To save _you, _bulbhead!" He then took a calming breath as he relaxed. "They didn't hurt ya, did they?" He asked, clearly not used to being concerned.

Casper smirked as he lightly shrugged, remembering getting knocked around a couple of times which he was used to. "Not badly." He didn't think it was time to bring up about what Hyde ordered him to do about ending his uncles. He then sadly frowned. "I thought you guys weren't going even bother looking for me." It was hard to say, but he knew that he to say it.

"Look, kid," the leader of the trio started with sincerity. "We're your uncles. There's no way in hell that we are gonna leave ya alone and there's no way we're gonna give up on ya. Clearly, no matter what it takes!" Irritation returned to him.

"So does the glowworm owe us?" Fatso quietly asked his older brother.

Stretch didn't take his eyes off the kid as he answered in a hushed voice, "Damn right, he does."

"In other words," Devon cut in with a smile, making them all look at her as she smiling down at the ghost child, "your father was meant to be a father, and these three were obviously not." She then added with sympathy in her voice, "I'm sorry, Casper."

"Ya want him?" Stretch suddenly asked with dryness.

Devon chuckled as they all turned to the ghost woman, who had a knowing look on her face. "Like you said: He's your nephew."

"Yea, but like you said: We weren't meant to be fathers either," he retorted.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Jack." She then smirked with humor as she looked at him with kind eyes. "You always were a handful." She then clapped her hands together. "Well, it's time for me to head back to my grave."

Stretch crossed his arms with wonder. "So what? Ya haunt a graveyard? Why not stay with us? We've got plenty of room."

The two brothers rolled their eyes as they looked at each other as if it was no surprise.

Devon had a dramatic look of horror on her face. "And be stuck with you three morons? Oh, God, no. If it was just Casper, I'd be fine, but you three?" She chuckled. "Not in a million years." She then looked at the leader with gentle green eyes. "Take care of yourself, Jack."

Stretch gave a short chuckle of amusement. "Yea. You too."

She turned to Casper with a humorous smile. "I really don't blame you for running away. I know I would too if I was stuck with them."

The trio narrowed their eyes, not amused by her comment.

Casper chuckled, thankful that she did not think ill of him. "Thanks for everything, Devon."

The ghost woman then turned to the still unamused trio with a smile. "No doubt you three are related."

They said nothing as they just stared at her with narrowed eyes.

She shrugged. "I thought you boys take that as a complement." She then began to float away. "I'll see you morons and idiot later. Not including Casper!"

That got Stretch's attention. "What the hell does that mean?" He shouted after her.

Devon disappeared over the roof of a building.

"Women," he sighed with annoyance.

The four ghosts began to snicker at that as the leader just narrowed his violet eyes at the giggling three morons.

His three morons.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, commenting, and whatnot. It is much appreciated and it really helps. I hope you enjoyed!**


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